The Unforgivable Curse
by Requiem of Flames
Summary: Sometimes love feels wonderful. Other times, it's like torture, as though someone has placed an Unforgivable Curse on you. This was a little bit of both. DMxHG
1. A Second Glance

**Title**: The Unforgivable Curse  
**Summary**: Mostly CU. In love? Draco and Hermione? Ridiculous! Somehow, someone must have cursed them. A collection of themed drabbles.  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except these drabble ideas.

**A/N**: This is for the 100colors prompt on livejournal. I started pretty late, but I'm only submitting it here, so there's no real deadline. =D Also, my drabbles are going to be 175, not 100 words. Please review!!

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**The Unforgivable Curse: A Second Glance**

Being back at Hogwarts was as exciting as ever for Hermione, who never tired of the magical surrealism the castle seemed to weave around her. Students new and old filed into the great hall while she, Harry, and Ron all took their seats at the table that stretched beneath the majestic Gryffindor banner. The Slytherin posse stalked past the Gryffindor table noisily, and somehow Hermione's chestnut gaze met the scornful eyes of Draco Malfoy. He scowled distastefully.

"What're you looking at, Mudblood?"

She scoffed and pointedly ignored him, instead turning to talk to Ron, who glared at Malfoy with hatred.

"Shove off, Malfoy."

"Way to stick up for your little girlfriend, Weasel," the Slytherin retorted.

"Sh-She's not my g-girlfriend," he stammered, blushing darkly. Malfoy only laughed coldly before striding away. Hermione turned to scowl at his retreating back, only to see that he was glancing back at her over his shoulder. Her eyes widened the slightest bit, but then he disappeared into the crowd, leaving her to wonder if she really saw it at all.

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**A/N**: This was written for theme #67: Chestnut. Thank you for reading! I only just recently got into Draco and Hermione, but I definitely have been converted…. And Blaise? Blaise = 3!!!


	2. Up to No Good

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except these drabble ideas.

**A/N**: Hi again! Only 97 more colors to go… _ Don't worry, I'll actually finish this one. AND FEAR NOT!! GIRL OF HIS DREAMS IS FINISHED BEING WRITTEN!! XD I'll post it ASAP.  
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**The Unforgivable Curse: Up to No Good**

Potions class was exceptionally boring this year, he thought idly as he twirled his new quill. Considering he was the Slytherin Prince, as well as Snape's favorite student, it was needless to say he didn't have to work very hard for an "Outstanding" grade.

"No, Harry, like this." The voice drew his attention to the know-it-all mudblood who sat a few yards below him. Her hand held Potter's as he cut his mandrake root, and they were smiling together happily. Potter nodded and began cutting it himself, and Draco hid a smirk as he deftly levitated a bowl of hinkypunk skins into Potter's pewter cauldron. The pale liquid bubbled thickly in reaction and boiled over, quickly spilling over his and Granger's table and burning their possessions like acid.

"Oh no!" She scraped her chair against the floor hastily to get away, only to knock over Weasley's cauldron as well. She apologized profusely, and, much to Draco's amusement, immediately singled him out with a heated glare. He smirked back broadly and twirled his quill in silence.

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**A/N**: This was written for theme #47: Pewter. Thank you for reading! As Always, please review? :3


	3. First Name Basis

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except the plot! Leave it be!

**A/N**: Hello. Not many readers, but seeing as I'm entering new territory and doing a drabble challenge at that, I didn't expect many. –sigh– Such is the life of an author. =D  
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**The Unforgivable Curse: First Name Basis  
**  
Hermione prided herself on being someone who was able to adapt to new situations easily and quickly. So when she, of all people, was paired up with Draco Malfoy during a particularly unpleasant Potions class, she tried her absolute best to remain calm.

"Oi, Granger, hand me the ladle."

She shoved it out to him with more force than necessary. Why in the world were they even bothering with the Wit-Sharpening Potion review? They had already covered this material in fourth year.

Draco opened his mouth to say something else. "Granger-"

She snapped. "Look here, Malfoy, I have a name, you know. It's Hermione."

His icy green eyes met her own for a moment, before he rolled them. "I have a name, too, Granger. It's Draco."

Hermione blinked. Now that she thought about it, she'd been calling him 'Malfoy' just as long as he'd been calling her 'Granger.' She cleared her throat, flustered, and forced a frustrated smile onto her face.

"Okay… Draco… can you hand me the armadillo bile?"

"Get it for yourself… Hermione."

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**A/N**: This was written for theme #6: Green. Thank you for reading! As Always, please review? :3


	4. Winter Treats

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except the plot! Leave it be!  
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**The Unforgivable Curse: Winter Treats  
**  
Draco had a secret sour-tooth for lemon slices. One that no one knew of, until now.

"Draco, what on earth are you doing out here? It's freezing!" Her voice was shrill and intrusive, and he rolled his eyes at her as he wiped lemon juice from his chin.

"What's it look like I'm doing?"

"Eating lemon slices." She put her hands on her hips. "It's way past curfew."

"Then what are you doing out here, know-it-all?" The question was rhetorical; he had seen that blonde girl snogging Weasely during supper, and soon after Hermione stormed away on her own.

She raised her chin indignantly. "None of your business!"

"What I'm doing is none of your business either," he retorted sharply. He stuck another lemon slice in his mouth and Hermione sat beside him in the snow, staring out at the black lake. His eyes widened.

"Can I stay here? I don't want to go back inside yet." She blushed.

"Like I care what you do." He handed her a slice, and gruffly asked, "Want some?"

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**A/N**: This was written for theme #13: Lemon. Thank you for reading! As Always, please review!!!


	5. Understanding

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except the plot! Leave it be!

**A/N**: Also, I've decided that I'm going to screw the word limit, because 175 words is almost impossible to stick to. =D

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**The Unforgivable Curse: Understanding  
**  
Hermione didn't understand how she and Draco had begun their little truce. They had spent more than an hour under that tree by the lake, eating fruit and just sharing company. Not too many words were exchanged, but there didn't have to be. And now, he was asking her if she was alright. Well, his exact words had been, 'What the hell happened to you? You look like a mess!'

She stared up at him with teary eyes, but hastily wiped them away. Draco Malfoy was the last person she wanted to see her crying like a baby in an empty classroom.

"N-Nothing." She blinked. "How did you get in here? This is the Room of Requirement."

"I know what it is." He looked around, his features almost sad, and glanced down to the textbooks in his arms. "I needed a place to practice my Transfiguration."

"Oh. Well, go ahead, I won't bother you." She slumped further into her corner and wiped her tears away again. Draco moved his eyes to her, only now they were confused.

"Was it that obnoxious blonde girl and Weasely again?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Obnoxious is a good way of describing her," she agreed. "Her name is Lavender."

"Like I care what her name is," he grumbled back. He set his books down onto a nearby desk and came back over to sit rather closely beside her. He didn't say anything, but he handed her a handkerchief, which Hermione took gratefully. She snuck a peek at his face. He seemed to be deep in thought, and was staring straight ahead.

"Didn't you… have Transfiguration to do?"

"I'll get to it later."

"But…"

"As long as you're just going to cry over something like a Weasely brat, I might as well sit here and waste time with you."

After a moment, Hermione whispered, "She knew. She knew I've liked him for awhile now."

"I don't see how you could. That's just disgusting." He shuddered.

"He's a good person," she replied. "And… sometimes, I think you are, too, Draco." His eyes darkened as his pale hand enclosed tightly over the wrist she hadn't even known was moving her hand toward his face. He avoided her eyes and struggled for words.

"Don't… I'm not…" He scowled and shoved her hand away as though burned. "Don't say that! You have no idea who I am, what I'm capable of. Don't ever let your guard down, even for a minute, Granger, especially around me. It could be the last thing you do."

Her heart seemed to break all over again. She didn't stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "Is that a threat, Draco?"

"No. I promise you, nothing good will come of this." Without another word, he grabbed his books and stormed away, leaving Hermione alone once more.

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**A/N**: This was written for theme #11: Lavender. Thank you for reading! As Always, please review!!!


	6. No Backing Out

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Except the plot! Leave it be!

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**The Unforgivable Curse: No Backing Out  
**  
Draco sat in the library, somewhere he didn't like to be often. He had started visiting a few weeks ago, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione every now and then, but as time wore on, he found it a peaceful sanctuary. The book currently in his hands was from the restricted section; he wondered why, if the book was so off-limits, the teacher's hadn't removed it from the library completely.

His forearm burned and prickled, and he scratched absently at his sleeve while reading. '_Much darker forms of the Summoning Charm can be seen branded into an individual's body, so that one may be Summoned even in places where you cannot Apparate.'_ He sighed and skimmed through the rest of the paragraph, but there was nothing about removing a Summoning Brand. Even if Draco could remove his Dark Mark, he doubted he would. The Dark Lord would know instantly, and he would kill them all for treachery.

He tossed the book aside carelessly and left the library to go up to the Room of Requirement for another go at the Vanishing Cabinet. As much as he hoped the Cabinet would fail, he knew it would mean the death of his mother, his father, and himself. He climbed the stairs and found himself in front of a new, unfamiliar door. It was not the room he wanted it to be. Another user was inside, it seemed. He swung the door open, ready to bully whoever it was that was using it to get them to leave, but he recognized who the user was immediately.

Hermione looked up in surprise, her fingers resting loosely on the black and white keys of a grand piano in the middle of the room. Draco was unsure of what to do, but closed the door and stepped inside, allowing himself to stand behind her.

"You play piano?"

"Yes," she answered. When she made no move to continue playing, Draco folded his arms across his chest.

"Well let's hear it then."

"Why should I play for you?" She huffed and moved to leave, so Draco slid onto the bench beside her and caught her arm. She froze, staring at him in confusion. Draco attempted a smile in order to persuade her to stay.

"Please?"

"I didn't think you even knew that word," she murmured, resuming her seat. He frowned.

"I learned it just recently." _By begging the Dark Lord for mercy. _

Hermione granted him a small smile and reached into her bag, pulling out a wild strawberry. "Want one?"

"Sure." He ate the sweet berry in silence as she fingered the keys nervously. The tune was choppy and random. "Is this how you play?"

"N-No! I just… I don't play in front of people very often. I don't think I'm very good at it."

"Hermione Granger found something she isn't good at? Merlin, I hope the Prophet don't find out."

"They might have Rita Skeeter write a nasty profile piece on me, like they did to Harry," she agreed, giggling.

He ignored the mention of Harry Potter and reached forward to skim his fingers across the board. A quick chopsticks melody flowed from the instrument. "My mother taught me to play when I was young," he told Hermione. "I always thought it was stupid."

She watched him play, transfixed by the melody. She took over when he stopped and began playing a new, more complex piece. Draco popped another strawberry into his mouth and closed his eyes in what felt like relaxation. Here, with her, Draco didn't think about his mission, the Vanishing Cabinet, or his Dark Mark. His thoughts blew away with the happy, relaxing tune of Hermione's music, and suddenly, opening his eyes and seeing her smile softly while playing, Draco Malfoy was very, very lonely.

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**A/N**: There we have it! It's going to start getting AU soon, because it won't match the books. But, to be fair, the Deathly Hallows ending sucked anyway. No disrespect to JK Rowling, of course. This was for prompt #72: Wild Strawberry. Thank you for reading! Please review!!


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